Farewell to Rajeev Ram
Rajeev Ram has been one of the most exciting doubles players of the last two decades. With a game so closely modelled on Pete Sampras that he was given the moniker 'Rampras', he has translated immense promise on the singles court, with two ATP titles, into an incredible doubles career which included 6 Grand Slams and two Olympic silver medals.
After barely playing this year with injury, few expected much from what many presumed to be Ram's final US Open. Playing alongside his long-time partner Joe Salisbury (who has, perhaps more surprisingly, also announced his retirement), the pair made their way through the draw, battling through three tight opening rounds before upsetting French Open champions Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos in the quarterfinals.
While they fell to Tim Puetz and Kevin Krawietz in the semi-finals with Ram becoming hampered by an injury, the run to the semis of the tournament they won three times was something truly special.
After his final match, more than one tear was shed by Ram, and there was a beautiful ceremony from his former college coach (and now USTA CEO) Craig Tiley, where Ram shared anecdotes about his career and a particularly moving tribute to his father, who was the one who inspired him to play tennis and who sadly passed away in 2019.
"And Dad… there have been so many days I've wanted to share with you, and this is no exception. I miss you. I love you. Thank you," he said later on Instagram.
Listen to The First Serve Live every Monday at 8pm AEST in its 18th year on the SEN Network/App, Australia's only dedicated weekly tennis program on commercial radio running through till the end of November.
Alongside Salisbury, Ram built up one of the most recognisable and iconic doubles combinations with a unique style of play. Salisbury's athleticism combined with Ram's strokeplay meant that the team were always a fan favourite and drew large crowds all around the world. But equally, Ram became known as a huge advocate for doubles appearing on many podcasts to promote the game however he could.
When interviewed by The First Serve a few years ago, Ram was forthright about what needed to improve in order to bring doubles to new audiences.
"Everyone here has a story to tell somewhere or another, you know, where you came from. A lot of us played singles at a decent level beforehand, and I think there's a bit of a disconnect in terms of that," he said.
"I think if people knew where the guys came from, how partnerships evolved. I think there are some interesting and great stories to tell. I think if people were a little more aware of that, they'd have a lot more interest in the game. I don't think it's the sport itself that's the problem. I think there's a lack of knowledge about who's actually playing it and kind of what level the people are that are playing it."
Ram has also been a pioneer for charitable causes in the US, starting the Rajeev Ram Foundation in order to bring tennis to Indiana and hosting an ATP Challenger tournament in his home state to bring playing opportunities.
Ram has also been a mentor to Nishesh Basavareddy, at one point appearing in his box when he played against Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open, ensuring that he had a Slam winner to support him while Djokovic had Andy Murray in his corner.
"We have the same coach and he moved to Carmel when he was eight," he said after the match. "That would have made me 28 at the time. So, yeah, I've known him ever since then and practised a ton at home since he was about maybe 14-years-old or whatever."
"He has been someone I've done my best to help as much as I can and I think we've actually helped each other quite a lot. Pretty amazing to watch him progress this quickly and then play that well on the biggest stage."
Tickets to the 2027 Kooyong Classic are officially on sale! 🎾 12–14 January 2027. Buy your tickets here 👉 bit.ly/4xEDn7p
Ram has also been vocal about supporting the Indian-American community, particularly in their pursuit of sports and this is something he highlighted in his retirement Instagram post.
The American said similar to The First Serve when interviewed a few years ago, and it is clear this will continue to be a passion for him in retirement.
"I'm a big fan of any Indian-American athletes, really," he shared. "I mean, then we have a couple of golfers that have been doing great of late. I got to know a race car driver that lives in Indianapolis as well, actually, last summer, and so I think, yeah, look, I think it's such a cool thing for me to think that maybe another Indian-American picked up a sport, maybe it's even tennis because they watched me play. And I think I'd be the first person to support that any way that I could."
In some ways, Ram was the player who gave me my start in tennis writing. I was writing an article about doubles for a writing competition and messaged almost every doubles player asking for their thoughts. Ram was one of the few players to respond and gave me his thoughts when he had no obligation to do so, which led to me placing in the competition and giving me a start in sports writing. There are many throughout the tennis ecosystem that Ram has given a similar start to many others in their careers and I'm sure will continue to do so in retirement.
The retirement of Rajeev Ram no doubt leaves a dearth in the doubles game. The elegance and style he brought to the court is incredibly challenging to replicate and one can only hope that as the game evolves, his play style can still be seen at the top of the game.
But one thing is for sure, watching him flourish has been a quintessential tennis experience for so many and he will be missed in retirement.
The legendary Kooyong Classic will be back 12-14th January 2027 at the spiritual home of Australian tennis. Hospitality packages on sale now at www.kooyongclassic.com.au
Comments